Bomber Command lookup request for Nanny Jan

[dragonq]

Nanny Jan,

Thank you for kindly offering to look up RAF missions in your father's book. Could I beg you to see if there is anything about my late Uncle John Prior's final mission to lay mines in the harbour at Brest. He flew in Stirling LK383 OJ-A (149 Squadron) out of Methwold, leaving at 9.01pm on Saturday 6th August (he was listed as killed on 7th August). I believe there were 12 planes on the mission. His was the only one lost. I am told that 48 mines were laid in Brest harbour that night--it was a big submarine base, and the RAF had attacked it the previous night with Tallboy bombs.

There may not be any more information, but worth a try. Uncle John flew on four previous missions, so if we have any luck, I might ask you to look those up too.

Thank you so much for your offer,

Natalie

[Thudnut]

Hi Natalie,
here's something from the Lost Bombers website:
http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=6346

Also this:
http://freespace.virgin.net/lakenheath.2000/149sqdn%20ncarter.htm

I'm sure Nanny Jan will turn some more history up.

Good luck
Thudders

[nanny jan]

Hi Natalie,

Is the date 6/7 August 1944?

If so the entry is Castrop-Rauxel:

40 Mosquitoes attackedf the synthetic-oil plant; a large fire was seen.  1 Mosquito lost.

Minor Operations (among others): 12 Stirlings minelaying off Brest, 1 Stirling minelayer lost.

Sorry, that is all the information given; few airman are named in the book.

Nanny Jan

[dragonq]

Hello Nanny Jan,

Yes, the mine-laying mission was the one on which he was killed. The Stirlings were being phased out (149 was one of the last squadrons to use them), and it was the last one lost on a bombing raid, a melancholy bit of information I always think. I can see I am going to have to get the operations records books for the Squadron to get more facts, though people I have been corresponding with in France have been able to give me quite a bit of information from their end.

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to look the mission up for me. May I also ask you to look up my uncle's other missions? There are only four, all done with 149 Squadron out of RAF Methwold:

1. 14/7/44 Flew in Stirling EH982 OJ-S on a gardening (minelaying) mission to Il. de Re. France (this is obviously an abbreviated place name). It was an eight and a half hour trip, so must have been some distance. This was a night time mission.

2. 27/7/44 Flew Stirling LJ522 OJ-T to a flying bomb site at Les Landes, France. This was a daytime mission.

3. 29/7/44 Flew Stirling LK383 OJ-A on a mission to a "labour camp" at the Foret de Niepe (sic -- should be Nieppe, I think). I think this was to do with railways which they were bombing heavily in the wake of the D-Day landings. This was also a daytime mission.

4. 2/8/44 Flew Stirling EF262 OJ-G on a mission to a flying bomb site, writing looks like "Mont Cavidon", but is hard to read. This was also a daytime mission.


Thanks again for your help. Also, thank you to Thudders for the links, which I had seen, but the kind thought was appreciated.

Natalie

[nanny jan]

Hi Natalie,

14/7/1944  Shown as minor operations:  6 Stirlings minelaying off Brest.  No aircraft lost.

27/7/44   Shown as Flying-Bomb sites:  72 aircraft, including 24 Stirlings, attacked 5 sites without loss.  All targets were cloud-covered and most of the bombing was "confused and scattered".

Some of the Stirlings on this raid, from 218 Sqd, were fitted with the G-H blind-bombing device and they used this in the attack on one of the sites;  this was the first use of the 'G-H leader' technique.


29/7/44  Foret de Nieppe:  119 Aircraft of 1, 4 and 8 Groups attacked the stores area again. No aircraft lost.

Support and minor operations:  76 Aircraft - 50 Halifaxes, 16 Stirlings, 10 Mosquitoes - of 3,4, and 8 Groups attacked the stores dump in the forest without loss.


2/8/44 Flying-Bomb sites:  394 aircraft, including 20 Stirlings attacked 1 launching site and 3 supply sites. 2 Lancasters of 5 Group lost from the raid on the Bois de Cassan supply site.


Hope this helps,

Nanny Jan

[dragonq]

Thanks very much, Nanny Jan: I will add this to my store of facts. 149 Squadron was in 3 Group, which helps me sort out which mission he went on, and gives me an idea of where he went.

I will no doubt get more information from the squadron's Operations Record Books, but this certainly gives me a headstart.

[annsa]

Hi,

Try a request on the RAF Commands site at:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/index.php?referrerid=127

Either Steve Smith or Greg have an interest in 3 group and have the Squadron ORBs and other reference material. Someone else may have a particular interest in that Squadron. Kyt that uses this board and whose user name is Amrit on RAF Commands may come back with additional info as well I would think.

Regards,

Ann

[dragonq]

Thanks for the hint: I have actually joined that site and made contact with Steve Smith, who is helping me out with squadron records. I have already learned that there is an eyewitness account of the plane crashing into the sea in flames, which is more than we have ever heard before.

It is curious how many scraps of information come out so many years after the event.

[jatcc2]

Does anyone have copies of 149 Sqn ORB's for Nov 1943 to June 1943?
I am researching the crew of Flt Lt later Sqn Ldr Kellaway DSO and BAR DFC AFC.
am interested in the ops flown I have his Flt Engs Log Book am am working on a history for his grandson Any advice gladly accepted. I know the ORB's are at Kew but hopefully someone may have a copy who would be able to assist/
JATCC2